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Previous: "Impenetrable"
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Next: "The Brink"
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CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains themes of self-harm.
Series 12 Episode 8
"Pride"
Another hospital visit over, Jonah felt relieved. Ashton was being discharged, which was the biggest reassurance possible. The fact that he’d never really spoken to Ashton beforehand only made him more determined to be there for his classmate. Life was too short; Jonah knew that first hand.
Jonah had learned a harsh lesson about why Freddie kept the werewolf world a secret for so long, too. It was dangerous, and there was always someone who took issue with their mere existence. All Jonah wanted to do was to be an ally. Everyone needed someone to look out for them, and Ashton had no-one else. Werewolf or not, Ashton needed a friend.
The truth was, Jonah needed a friend too. Leah hadn’t replied to him once since Ashton collapsed. Jonah wasn’t an idiot; he could tell Leah wasn’t as comfortable with the news of the supernatural as Jonah was. For him, it answered every question he’d had about his family. For her, it only left more questions. Maybe she just needed space, but her timing couldn’t have been worse. Jonah needed someone to.
The long way home sounded ideal for Jonah to clear his head. He didn’t have the money for a taxi, and buses were once an hour at that time of night, so if he had to walk, he figured he may as well have made the most of the tranquillity.
The gentle ripples of the lake made for the perfect companion, only the occasional flapping of wings or rustling of leaves disturbing the perfect silence. Jonah frequently sat by the lake when he lived with George and Lily. Somehow, it made him feel closer to his dad whenever he missed him, especially after he first moved to Crystalshaw. The world without his dad felt exceptionally lonely, particularly when he didn’t grow up around his brother.
Now, the lake felt like home. It was his safe haven, even when he lived in the middle of town with Freddie. At the hardest moments, the calm of the lake was all Jonah needed to clear his head. There was almost never anyone else around, which Jonah rarely had at home.
Out of nowhere, Jonah was overtaken by a figure in a purple hoodie, their hood concealing their identity, speed-walking as if they had somewhere urgent to be. Jonah was sure he’d seen that hoodie before; he couldn’t forget the garment that he once accidentally put into the washing machine alongside his smartest white shirt.
“Lily?” Jonah called out, jogging to catch up with her. They were approaching the lakehouse, so she wasn’t far from home, though part of him was a little worried she was out so late, especially knowing everything she was going through.
“Leave me alone,” Lily stammered. Her face was drained of all colour, harshly complemented by severe bags under her eyes. She sounded terrified, but why? Something had changed, and Jonah wasn’t sure what to do.
“I’ll walk home with you,” Jonah offered. Lily was family, he wasn’t going to leave her on her own when she was in such a state.
“No,” Lily pushed him back and picked up the pace. Jonah didn’t know what to do. Lily was a grown adult, she could make her own choices, but she didn’t seem right.
He needed to call for help.
Jonah had learned a harsh lesson about why Freddie kept the werewolf world a secret for so long, too. It was dangerous, and there was always someone who took issue with their mere existence. All Jonah wanted to do was to be an ally. Everyone needed someone to look out for them, and Ashton had no-one else. Werewolf or not, Ashton needed a friend.
The truth was, Jonah needed a friend too. Leah hadn’t replied to him once since Ashton collapsed. Jonah wasn’t an idiot; he could tell Leah wasn’t as comfortable with the news of the supernatural as Jonah was. For him, it answered every question he’d had about his family. For her, it only left more questions. Maybe she just needed space, but her timing couldn’t have been worse. Jonah needed someone to.
The long way home sounded ideal for Jonah to clear his head. He didn’t have the money for a taxi, and buses were once an hour at that time of night, so if he had to walk, he figured he may as well have made the most of the tranquillity.
The gentle ripples of the lake made for the perfect companion, only the occasional flapping of wings or rustling of leaves disturbing the perfect silence. Jonah frequently sat by the lake when he lived with George and Lily. Somehow, it made him feel closer to his dad whenever he missed him, especially after he first moved to Crystalshaw. The world without his dad felt exceptionally lonely, particularly when he didn’t grow up around his brother.
Now, the lake felt like home. It was his safe haven, even when he lived in the middle of town with Freddie. At the hardest moments, the calm of the lake was all Jonah needed to clear his head. There was almost never anyone else around, which Jonah rarely had at home.
Out of nowhere, Jonah was overtaken by a figure in a purple hoodie, their hood concealing their identity, speed-walking as if they had somewhere urgent to be. Jonah was sure he’d seen that hoodie before; he couldn’t forget the garment that he once accidentally put into the washing machine alongside his smartest white shirt.
“Lily?” Jonah called out, jogging to catch up with her. They were approaching the lakehouse, so she wasn’t far from home, though part of him was a little worried she was out so late, especially knowing everything she was going through.
“Leave me alone,” Lily stammered. Her face was drained of all colour, harshly complemented by severe bags under her eyes. She sounded terrified, but why? Something had changed, and Jonah wasn’t sure what to do.
“I’ll walk home with you,” Jonah offered. Lily was family, he wasn’t going to leave her on her own when she was in such a state.
“No,” Lily pushed him back and picked up the pace. Jonah didn’t know what to do. Lily was a grown adult, she could make her own choices, but she didn’t seem right.
He needed to call for help.
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Curious as much as he was nervous, Dylan was ready for answers. The Callahans were running rings around the pack without even knowing the full truth, but if Karen was immersed in the supernatural world, she surely knew more than she was letting on. They were on shaky territory.
Quite why Karen had walked to the train station had baffled Dylan. Just as Josh suggested, he’d slowly, discreetly followed behind in the car, but the journey proved to be a short one. The train station was around the corner from the hotel, but why would she need to go there? Was somebody else on the way? Another relative? How many Callahans were there?
To Dylan’s delight, Yasmin and Freddie were already at the station. The plan had worked perfectly; if they were at the station, so was Theodore. With any luck, they were seconds away from the answers Dylan was desperate for, and the dirt on the Callahans that could get his friends their jobs back.
“He’s inside,” Yasmin informed as soon as Dylan and Josh opened the car door, “So is Karen.”
“Don’t worry, she didn’t see us,” Freddie added.
“We better get in there,” Dylan took the lead. As far as he was concerned, there wasn’t any time to waste. Dylan led the way onto the platform and immediately scanned up and down its length, the wolf inside allowing him to focus on every person, eliminating them one-by-one at rapid speed. He reported back, “They’re not here.”
“Guys,” Josh called from a few metres away. Adjacent to the platform was a side room, with worn-out lettering spelling out “waiting room” across the transparent windowpanes that covered the separating wall.
Each of them gathered behind Josh, peering in, seeing Theodore and Karen unsubtly yelling at each other. Whatever had happened had hit boiling point. Dylan couldn’t wait any longer. He didn’t care for their domestics. There was far more going on than Karen had ever let on.
“Wait,” Yasmin placed a hand in front of Dylan, “What are they saying?”
Dylan focused. Yasmin was right. They didn’t need to intrude yet. They could be smarter. They had to be smarter.
“This wasn’t the plan. You weren’t supposed to be here. They’re relying on me, but now they can link me to you. Now, the werewolves know too much. The plan is ruined, and I’m probably going to jail,” Theodore ranted.
“You got found out without my help, remember,” Karen scoffed, “Besides, we’re fighting the same battle. We know the mission. I brought you in because I trusted you. They’re all trusting you. Don’t let the side down.”
“Alright, alright. I hope Harry was worth all of this. It’s not like you ever let me near him,” Theodore grunted.
Dylan’s blood was boiling. Harry was being used as a pawn in Karen’s chess match against the pack. She knew the truth. She knew about werewolves. She knew what Dylan was, and she was using Harry to justify her hatred of that. He felt sick He got one thing right, and that was how little Karen truly cared for her son.
“Go home,” Josh suggested.
“No, I can’t,” Dylan insisted. He needed to be there.
“You don’t owe Harry this. Leave it to us. Take an hour, go and see Jono,” Josh wasn’t letting up. Dylan paused. He wasn’t wrong. His brain was fried, and he was running on anger. He needed to take a step back.
“Text me immediately if something happens,” Dylan nodded at each of Josh, Yasmin and Freddie, their eye contact confirming they would.
Backing off towards the exit, Dylan checked his phone for the first time in a while. To his concern, he had six missed calls from Jonah, but why him? Why would Jonah have called him over Freddie? It had to be serious. So much for an hour to himself.
Another heave of the heavy metallic door, but Jono was still out of luck. He’d never felt weaker. He longed for the days where he’d have been able to shift that boulder of a door with little effort. Now, his lack of muscle power had never been so apparent.
George was still out cold. He was breathing, to Jono’s relief, but he hated that he couldn’t help him. He couldn’t take George’s pain like he used to be able to. Jono wasn’t expecting to miss so much about being a werewolf. So much had changed in a few weeks, and he’d barely had a moment to digest it. Jono had forgotten how intense Crystalshaw was.
During his time in London, Jono often pictured his future. No matter how impossible it felt at the time, Dylan was always a part of it. He dreamed of them owning a house, sharing an investigative journalism business, maybe even having kids of their own one day. Either way, he imagined them at peace. Was that even possible in a place like Crystalshaw?
Coughing and spluttering from behind him snapped Jono out of his circular train of thought. George was waking up, and Jono was reassured. He wasn’t on his own.
“Wh…what happened?” a dazed George queried, “Where’s Lily?”
“Gone. It wasn’t her. That thing…it was in control,” Jono explained, “The reaper.”
“So why are you still here?” George was trying to get his head around things, but it was obvious how much he was in pain.
“The door’s jammed. I can’t open it. We’re stuck here,” Jono sighed. There was no way to put a positive spin on their predicament. Not even Dylan could have managed it, “And before you say it, there’s no phone signal.”
“Shit,” George groaned, “She’s not safe. The baby, our baby, it’s not safe. Why? Why did that thing choose her?”
“Because her defences were down. She’s pregnant, she can’t heal, so the reaper saw its chance. It clawed its way in, and it’s wearing her down,” Jono theorised, “She took the page out of the Bestiary too, so we can’t even read up on it.”
“I saw a bit of it,” George tried to recall, but the expression on his face displayed very blatantly how difficult focusing was.
“Anything at all,” Jono gently encouraged, “It might just be what we need.”
“Not that we can do much from inside here,” George sighed.
“Okay, we’re sitting ducks for now,” Jono considered, “But we can use that to our advantage. Whatever’s inside Lily had underestimated us, because we have time on our side. Time to form a plan. When we get out of here, we will know exactly what we’re doing, and that makes us dangerous.”
George went to speak but stopped himself, pausing for thought before nodding. Jono knew a little sprinkle of optimism was going to work in their favour. He’d survived seven years in London riding that particular wave. If he could find his way back to Crystalshaw – and back to Dylan – he could get out of one stupid bunker to save his sister.
“How are you feeling?” Jono checked. George had been out cold, and he’d only just stopped squinting from the light. He wasn’t going to be any help in finding Lily if he were concussed.
“Like hell,” George answered honestly, “But I have to help. We need to find Lily. I’m okay, I promise.”
“Okay, then we need to search this place. There must be something we can wedge under the door to help take the weight so we can unjam it. We can think about where Lily could have gone in the meantime,” Jono instructed. Deep down, he was worried sick. He didn’t just want Lily to be safe, he needed it. She was his big sister, and he needed her still, no matter how old they both were. On the surface, though, Jono kept a calm head. He had to, for George’s sake as much as his own.
There was only one place Jeremy wanted to be after seeing Keisha. Her ad-hoc therapy session felt cathartic, but Jeremy was drained – physically and emotionally. Sammi and Felix were the perfect comfort blankets, but there was one person Jeremy was missing. The one person he’d been able to rely on for his entire life. The one saving grace in the days he was kept hidden from the world.
From the passenger seat of Felix’s car, Jeremy glanced up at the tall, uninspiring building in front. The windows were tinted with dirt, the sign at the entrance was missing a couple of letters, and the atmosphere couldn’t have felt less comforting. It wasn’t the look of luxury that every one of its residents undoubtedly deserved.
“Ready?” Felix segued his left hand from the handbrake to Jeremy’s right hand, cupping it softly.
“Yeah,” Jeremy assuredly confirmed.
“Would you like us to stay here?” Sammi checked, leaning forward from the backseat.
“No, I’d like you to come. If you don’t mind,” Jeremy requested. He wanted them all to be together. His immediate family.
They entered the building side-by-side, separating only to navigate the revolving door entrance that felt like a relic from several decades prior. Jeremy led the way through the building, taking Felix and Sammi on a route he’d become very accustomed to. The atmosphere inside was no better than the outside, with worn carpets, dated wallpaper peeling at the sides, and an unpleasant stench of urine that made Jeremy wish his sense of smell wasn’t so advanced.
Up two flights in the shaky elevator was a corridor so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Three doors faced them on the landing, and Jeremy headed straight for the middle one, the sign on the door confirming its occupant.
Inside, the silence was broken only by the repetitive intrusion of a heart monitor. A hospital bed was situated in the middle of the room, but it wasn’t a hospital they were in. Nevertheless, Daisy, the kind nurse Jeremy had gotten to know well in his visits, greeted them all with a welcoming smile.
“Hey,” Daisy beamed, “She’s been fast asleep all day. I think she was out on the town last night.”
“Sounds like her,” Jeremy chuckled, appreciating the humour. It took the edge off the upsetting sight of the room’s other occupant, deeply sleeping, looking so fragile with an oxygen tube connected to her mouth. Sleeping is what Margaret spent most of her days doing, as if even the nursing home she was forced to call home was too much for her to take, “How is she doing?”
“Much the same. She’s not in pain, but her brain function isn’t what it used to be. She’s very confused on the occasions where she is awake,” Daisy answered clearly and concisely. In a place that looked so miserable, the staff were its saving grace, working harder than their pay packets suggested to provide the utmost care and comfort to every single resident.
“Can she hear us?” Felix questioned, he and Sammi giving Jeremy a respectable distance as they stood side-by-side in front of the door.
“I’d like to think so,” Daisy gently smiled, “I’ll leave you all alone, give me a shout if you need me.” Jeremy nodded as Daisy slipped out of the room, the door creaking shut behind her.
Pulling up the armchair to Margaret’s bedside, Jeremy perched and softly capped his hand over Margaret’s own, poking out of the duvet. For his entire life, she had seemed old to him. After all, she was in her sixties when Jeremy was born, and that’s firmly grandparent territory for most people, btu Margaret relished being the mother figure in Jeremy’s life when he wasn’t allowed near his own. Everything he learned came from her, and Jeremy couldn’t help thinking he’d be even more screwed up without her.
“Hey,” Jeremy spoke to Margaret just as he would if she were awake, “I’ve brought a couple of guests to see you. Felix and Sammi are here. It’s been a little while since you last saw them, I guess it must have been at the wedding.”
Jeremy knew he wanted Margaret to be at the wedding, even just for a short while. She’d always been the biggest champion of his relationship with Felix, and not having her at their special day would’ve felt wrong. The reception was a step too far, but the fact that Margaret was awake for the entire service was enough to fill Jeremy’s heart, and the proud smile on her face as he said his vows was one of the most special moments of his life.
“They’ve been there for me a lot recently. You’d be proud of them,” Jeremy continued, “To tell you the truth, it’s been a tough couple of weeks. I’ve realised that maybe I’m not quite as okay as I thought I was, but don’t worry about me, I’m getting help, and I’ll be fine, I promise. You showed me how to be strong, so I’m being strong for you, Margaret.”
A tear dripped onto Jeremy’s hand. It felt wrong to be keeping Margaret out of the loop, so he wanted her to know the truth, whether she could actually hear him or not. Her head remained just as still as before, her eyelids fastened shut as she rested herself.
From above, two arms enclosed themselves around Jeremy’s chest; Felix’s, of course. “I promise I’ll take care of him,” Felix added, placing a soothing kiss on top of Jeremy’s mop of curls.
“We both will,” Sammi added, joining the hug. Jeremy felt comfortable, but it didn’t make it any easier to know that Margaret wasn’t able to join them. Alzheimer's disease was cruel, and she deserved so much more, but Jeremy was keen to make her proud for as long as he could.
Now, it was time for him to take charge.
There was so much running through Dylan’s brain as he sprinted to the lakehouse. He couldn’t shake the thought of Josh, Yasmin and Freddie at the train station, and how Karen and Theodore would react if they saw them. The worst case scenarios darted back and forth across his head, and he couldn’t help thinking he’d made the wrong decision to leave them there.
However, Jonah needed him. On the phone, he sounded distressed and panicked, and Dylan couldn’t clearly make out what the problem was. He knew it involved Lily, though, and that made it high priority. Her pregnancy had been tumultuous, and she wasn’t even halfway through it, so they all needed to be on red alert where Lily was concerned.
The lakehouse was a state. Lily was a stickler for a tidy, presentable house, so every item had its place. Yet, the front room was ransacked. A vase had been smashed on the laminate flooring, cushions had been recklessly thrown off the sofa, and drawers were hanging open with items spilling over the sides. Despite this, the front door was locked, the back door looked much the same, and there was no sign of a forced entry, so who created such a mess?
“Jonah?” Dylan called out, sliding his key back into his pocket.
“I’m here,” Jonah called from the kitchen. Dylan followed the sound to see a timid Jonah positioned against the kitchen wall, mess surrounding him just like the living room.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Dylan rushed to check, being careful where he stood with smashed plates decorating the floor. Jonah was new to the world of werewolves and the supernatural, and though he’d been something of a duck to water since finding out, he had considerably less experience than the rest of the pack. He was bound to be spooked.
“I’m fine, I just didn’t want to touch anything, I’ve seen enough TV to know that’s not a good idea. I’m worried, Dylan. I saw Lily by the lake. She was on her way here, but she wasn’t herself,” Jonah explained hurriedly, “By the time I got here, she’d gone and it was a mess. I figured this was your department, so I called you.”
“Jono said he was staying with Lily today. He can’t be far away, same for George,” Dylan considered aloud. He hadn’t heard from Jono all day, which itself was unusual, “I’ll try calling him.”
The call didn’t attempt to ring, cutting off immediately, so either Jono’s phone was off – very unlikely, knowing him – or he had no signal. Realistically, there was only one place in Crystalshaw that Jono could be.
“Okay, go home and wait for Freddie,” Dylan instructed Jonah as he tried to think of a plan, “You’ll be safer.”
“I want to help,” Jonah insisted, “Please, I want Lily to be okay.”
Dylan paused. He knew it was a bad idea for Jonah to be anywhere near the Lily situation. He was as good as family, and perhaps that was the problem? Jonah reminded Dylan of himself; no matter how many times he was asked to keep away, his gut convinced him otherwise. Perhaps keeping Jonah close by would actually be safer?
“Okay,” Dylan caved in, “But you have to follow my instructions, and I mean every single instruction.” Jonah eagerly nodded, like a golden retriever desperate to please.
Now, Dylan had to focus on the mission. Find Jono and George, and save Lily. Everything else could wait. Dylan couldn’t afford to lose anybody else.
Although Dylan was the alpha, Josh felt protective over him. They were brothers, after all, and Josh knew that Dylan wore his heart on his sleeve. There weren’t many others like Dylan in the world, and Josh knew it was a worse place because of it.
His blood was boiling listening to Karen and Theodore talk about Harry. Josh never got to know Harry that well – one of many regrets over his time in New York – but he knew what Harry meant to Dylan. At a time when Dylan had lost faith in love, Harry reminded him that he deserved happiness. Whether Dylan would have chosen Jono or Harry in the end didn’t matter, because both showed him the kind of love he deserved. The kind of true love Josh craved.
The protective instinct in Josh was yelling at him to intervene. He, Yasmin and Freddie had kept a safe distance, avoiding being spotted, but part of Josh wanted to confront them. His head knew it was a bad idea, but when it came to his family, nothing mattered more.
“What do we do?” Freddie wondered, asking the question on Josh’s lips. Both looked to Yasmin, knowing a good plan was usually her area.
“This is too public. Anyone could walk in at any moment,” Yasmin worried, “And if they see us, it’s going to make it worse.”
“So we follow them again? Confront them somewhere less public?” Josh was desperate to give both Callahans a piece of his mind.
“Take pictures,” Freddie suggested. Josh raised an eyebrow in his direction. This wasn’t exactly an Instagram moment, so what good would pictures do? Freddie continued, “It’s evidence. We’ve heard them speak. Karen is complicit, and if we can prove they were together, arguing, then we can take it to Ed.”
“What are they saying?” Yasmin questioned. Josh had momentarily forgotten that while he and Freddie could clearly hear every word being spoken in the waiting room, Yasmin didn’t have that same ability. Josh re-focused on their conversation.
“You definitely haven’t mentioned us?” Karen continued.
“Never, I promised. The mission is greater than me,” Theodore quickly justified. That was all Josh needed to hear.
“Karen is letting Theodore be the scapegoat,” Josh summarised.
“Okay, take pictures. She can’t get out of this that easily,” Yasmin decided. Freddie didn’t need to be asked twice, subtly snapping a series of shots of them both through the waiting room window. Deliciously, he could see the panic on Karen’s face in each photo.
“Move,” Yasmin commanded all of a sudden, shoving Josh and Freddie through the nearest door; typically, the ladies’ toilets. Josh was baffled, but then it made sense. Through the tiny gap in the door, he could see Karen strutting past in a huff. They hadn’t been spotted, and now, they had all the evidence they needed to give Harry’s evil mother the comeuppance she deserved.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Callahan,” an oddly familiar voice came from the platform. Josh’s limited view didn’t allow him the chance to see anybody else; he, Yasmin and Freddie were like sardines as they each attempted to catch a view without being caught. Nevertheless, Josh would know that voice anywhere. It’d be worrying if he didn’t recognise a voice he’d lived with for many years.
“Yes, Sheriff,” Karen sighed. As relieved as Josh was to have confirmation that Ed was there, he was confused. How had he already caught up to Karen?
“I am placing you under arrest. You have the right to remain silent,” Ed explained, reading Karen her rights as he always did, “Deputy Wilson, please handcuff our friend over there too.” Just seconds later, Theodore was carted off towards the exit alongside Karen.
Josh shared a bewildered glance with Yasmin and Freddie. He was delighted they had both been arrested, but what had changed? Who had told Ed about Karen if it wasn’t one of them? They had to get to the sheriff station for some answers.
For years, Jono had wondered what use most of the junk in the bunker could possibly have. In the entire time he’d known about it, only a tiny fraction of the collection had ever been helpful. It made Jono wonder just how much was out there that he didn’t know about.
Finally, though, some were able to prove their merit. Between him and George, they had laid a selection of books and papers across the floor in front of the enormous door in order to elevate a smooth sheet of metal to just the right level to be tucked underneath its base, ready to carry its weight. Without the bulk of the door to worry about, Jono was praying it would be easier to unjam.
Jono was purposely channelling every bit of energy he had into getting out of that bunker and saving Lily. He knew that if he stopped for even a second, his worries would take over, and he was no good to Lily if he was stuck in his feelings.
“Ready to pull?” Jono checked. Their makeshift structure was in place, and the moment of truth was upon them.
“Wait,” George hesitated, “One more time, what’s the plan? We’re going to sprint as soon as we get out of here and I don’t want to mess this up. There’s too much riding on it.”
“I start driving, you call Dylan,” Jono reminded, “We’ll try the lakehouse first. If Lily’s still in there, she’ll have wanted to go home.”
“Okay,” George nodded, “Let’s do this, then.”
Jono nodded, both of them assuming their positions gripping the door handle.
“Go,” Jono commanded. Immediately, he channelled all of his strength to his hands, heaving at the handle as much as his body allowed while his feet grounded him. Jono hadn’t truly realised how much of his strength had come from his wolf abilities; bumping back down to human strength was a stark reality check.
The hardest part was moving the door far enough for the contraption to work. If they could get it just a few centimetres across, they’d succeeded, but the door was stubborn. It hadn’t budged at all. If two adults in good physical shape couldn’t shift it, what would it take?
A breakthrough.
The door moved.
A centimetre, but it was a start.
Then again. Jono was shocked. Where had this momentum come from?
Another centimetre. The door landed firmly on the contraption. Jono and George easily heaved it backwards, the weight resting on the wooden board just as they’d planned, and the door felt as light as Jono remembered from his werewolf days.
With the exit wide open, Jono curiously looked up to see what was on the other side. To his delight, there was Dylan. Sweat coated his forehead and his face had morphed into full werewolf form, but even then, Jono couldn’t have been more in love. Whenever Jono needed him, Dylan was there.
“Boy, am I glad to see you,” Jono smiled, embracing Dylan in a tight hug. Over his shoulder, he spotted Jonah, sharing a brief smile before George gripped his younger brother tightly.
“You can thank me later,” Dylan smiled as the hug broke off, “We need to find Lily.”
“We know what’s possessed her,” George informed.
“We do too,” Dylan nodded, signalling to Jonah, floating a ripped out tatty-looking sheet of paper. The Bestiary page Lily had taken, “It was on the ground above.”
“Okay then, let’s go get Lily, and kick this reaper’s ass,” Jono was fired up. He had a dream team by his side, and none of them were going to stop at anything to get Lily back.
There was nothing more rewarding for Sammi than seeing the relief in Jeremy’s demeanour. It had been an exhausting day emotionally for all of them, but Jeremy had felt it most. He’d tackled his problems head on, and he looked so much lighter as a result. Sammi couldn’t have felt prouder to call him her twin.
It was in stark contrast to the state of the car park outside the care home. The edge of town was the forgotten part of Crystalshaw, and the care home epitomised the downtrodden vibe better than anything else; it couldn’t have looked a less exciting prospect for anyone of a certain age. The atmosphere had a grey tint, but Jeremy was a glow in the dark.
“Home?” Felix suggested to Jeremy, who keenly nodded his approval. It was obvious he was tired, but for the first time since his wrongful suspension from work, Jeremy looked hopeful.
“How do you feel?” Sammi queried, eager to hear from Jeremy’s own mouth.
“Shattered,” Jeremy chuckled, “But okay. I know it’s not an instant fix, but today has helped. Thank you both.”
Impulsively, Sammi embraced her brother in a firm hug. It was the least he deserved, as cheesy as it was. Felix followed suit, wrapping his arms comfortingly around them both. If Jeremy didn’t already know, that moment should have removed all elements of doubt about the undying and unconditional support he had.
Straight ahead. The moment broke. Sammi’s pride blurred into concern. Just one glance was all she needed to know that something was up.
“Guys,” Sammi dismissed the hug and pointed to the other side of the road. To the naked eye, it may have appeared entirely unremarkable, but Sammi knew better. They all did.
“Is that…?” Jeremy pondered.
“She looks lost,” Felix added.
“Call Jono. Now,” Sammi commanded. Her brother was out of the woods, but now her cousin was in danger.
Lily was walking towards the tallest bridge in Crystalshaw.
Quite why Karen had walked to the train station had baffled Dylan. Just as Josh suggested, he’d slowly, discreetly followed behind in the car, but the journey proved to be a short one. The train station was around the corner from the hotel, but why would she need to go there? Was somebody else on the way? Another relative? How many Callahans were there?
To Dylan’s delight, Yasmin and Freddie were already at the station. The plan had worked perfectly; if they were at the station, so was Theodore. With any luck, they were seconds away from the answers Dylan was desperate for, and the dirt on the Callahans that could get his friends their jobs back.
“He’s inside,” Yasmin informed as soon as Dylan and Josh opened the car door, “So is Karen.”
“Don’t worry, she didn’t see us,” Freddie added.
“We better get in there,” Dylan took the lead. As far as he was concerned, there wasn’t any time to waste. Dylan led the way onto the platform and immediately scanned up and down its length, the wolf inside allowing him to focus on every person, eliminating them one-by-one at rapid speed. He reported back, “They’re not here.”
“Guys,” Josh called from a few metres away. Adjacent to the platform was a side room, with worn-out lettering spelling out “waiting room” across the transparent windowpanes that covered the separating wall.
Each of them gathered behind Josh, peering in, seeing Theodore and Karen unsubtly yelling at each other. Whatever had happened had hit boiling point. Dylan couldn’t wait any longer. He didn’t care for their domestics. There was far more going on than Karen had ever let on.
“Wait,” Yasmin placed a hand in front of Dylan, “What are they saying?”
Dylan focused. Yasmin was right. They didn’t need to intrude yet. They could be smarter. They had to be smarter.
“This wasn’t the plan. You weren’t supposed to be here. They’re relying on me, but now they can link me to you. Now, the werewolves know too much. The plan is ruined, and I’m probably going to jail,” Theodore ranted.
“You got found out without my help, remember,” Karen scoffed, “Besides, we’re fighting the same battle. We know the mission. I brought you in because I trusted you. They’re all trusting you. Don’t let the side down.”
“Alright, alright. I hope Harry was worth all of this. It’s not like you ever let me near him,” Theodore grunted.
Dylan’s blood was boiling. Harry was being used as a pawn in Karen’s chess match against the pack. She knew the truth. She knew about werewolves. She knew what Dylan was, and she was using Harry to justify her hatred of that. He felt sick He got one thing right, and that was how little Karen truly cared for her son.
“Go home,” Josh suggested.
“No, I can’t,” Dylan insisted. He needed to be there.
“You don’t owe Harry this. Leave it to us. Take an hour, go and see Jono,” Josh wasn’t letting up. Dylan paused. He wasn’t wrong. His brain was fried, and he was running on anger. He needed to take a step back.
“Text me immediately if something happens,” Dylan nodded at each of Josh, Yasmin and Freddie, their eye contact confirming they would.
Backing off towards the exit, Dylan checked his phone for the first time in a while. To his concern, he had six missed calls from Jonah, but why him? Why would Jonah have called him over Freddie? It had to be serious. So much for an hour to himself.
Another heave of the heavy metallic door, but Jono was still out of luck. He’d never felt weaker. He longed for the days where he’d have been able to shift that boulder of a door with little effort. Now, his lack of muscle power had never been so apparent.
George was still out cold. He was breathing, to Jono’s relief, but he hated that he couldn’t help him. He couldn’t take George’s pain like he used to be able to. Jono wasn’t expecting to miss so much about being a werewolf. So much had changed in a few weeks, and he’d barely had a moment to digest it. Jono had forgotten how intense Crystalshaw was.
During his time in London, Jono often pictured his future. No matter how impossible it felt at the time, Dylan was always a part of it. He dreamed of them owning a house, sharing an investigative journalism business, maybe even having kids of their own one day. Either way, he imagined them at peace. Was that even possible in a place like Crystalshaw?
Coughing and spluttering from behind him snapped Jono out of his circular train of thought. George was waking up, and Jono was reassured. He wasn’t on his own.
“Wh…what happened?” a dazed George queried, “Where’s Lily?”
“Gone. It wasn’t her. That thing…it was in control,” Jono explained, “The reaper.”
“So why are you still here?” George was trying to get his head around things, but it was obvious how much he was in pain.
“The door’s jammed. I can’t open it. We’re stuck here,” Jono sighed. There was no way to put a positive spin on their predicament. Not even Dylan could have managed it, “And before you say it, there’s no phone signal.”
“Shit,” George groaned, “She’s not safe. The baby, our baby, it’s not safe. Why? Why did that thing choose her?”
“Because her defences were down. She’s pregnant, she can’t heal, so the reaper saw its chance. It clawed its way in, and it’s wearing her down,” Jono theorised, “She took the page out of the Bestiary too, so we can’t even read up on it.”
“I saw a bit of it,” George tried to recall, but the expression on his face displayed very blatantly how difficult focusing was.
“Anything at all,” Jono gently encouraged, “It might just be what we need.”
“Not that we can do much from inside here,” George sighed.
“Okay, we’re sitting ducks for now,” Jono considered, “But we can use that to our advantage. Whatever’s inside Lily had underestimated us, because we have time on our side. Time to form a plan. When we get out of here, we will know exactly what we’re doing, and that makes us dangerous.”
George went to speak but stopped himself, pausing for thought before nodding. Jono knew a little sprinkle of optimism was going to work in their favour. He’d survived seven years in London riding that particular wave. If he could find his way back to Crystalshaw – and back to Dylan – he could get out of one stupid bunker to save his sister.
“How are you feeling?” Jono checked. George had been out cold, and he’d only just stopped squinting from the light. He wasn’t going to be any help in finding Lily if he were concussed.
“Like hell,” George answered honestly, “But I have to help. We need to find Lily. I’m okay, I promise.”
“Okay, then we need to search this place. There must be something we can wedge under the door to help take the weight so we can unjam it. We can think about where Lily could have gone in the meantime,” Jono instructed. Deep down, he was worried sick. He didn’t just want Lily to be safe, he needed it. She was his big sister, and he needed her still, no matter how old they both were. On the surface, though, Jono kept a calm head. He had to, for George’s sake as much as his own.
There was only one place Jeremy wanted to be after seeing Keisha. Her ad-hoc therapy session felt cathartic, but Jeremy was drained – physically and emotionally. Sammi and Felix were the perfect comfort blankets, but there was one person Jeremy was missing. The one person he’d been able to rely on for his entire life. The one saving grace in the days he was kept hidden from the world.
From the passenger seat of Felix’s car, Jeremy glanced up at the tall, uninspiring building in front. The windows were tinted with dirt, the sign at the entrance was missing a couple of letters, and the atmosphere couldn’t have felt less comforting. It wasn’t the look of luxury that every one of its residents undoubtedly deserved.
“Ready?” Felix segued his left hand from the handbrake to Jeremy’s right hand, cupping it softly.
“Yeah,” Jeremy assuredly confirmed.
“Would you like us to stay here?” Sammi checked, leaning forward from the backseat.
“No, I’d like you to come. If you don’t mind,” Jeremy requested. He wanted them all to be together. His immediate family.
They entered the building side-by-side, separating only to navigate the revolving door entrance that felt like a relic from several decades prior. Jeremy led the way through the building, taking Felix and Sammi on a route he’d become very accustomed to. The atmosphere inside was no better than the outside, with worn carpets, dated wallpaper peeling at the sides, and an unpleasant stench of urine that made Jeremy wish his sense of smell wasn’t so advanced.
Up two flights in the shaky elevator was a corridor so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Three doors faced them on the landing, and Jeremy headed straight for the middle one, the sign on the door confirming its occupant.
Inside, the silence was broken only by the repetitive intrusion of a heart monitor. A hospital bed was situated in the middle of the room, but it wasn’t a hospital they were in. Nevertheless, Daisy, the kind nurse Jeremy had gotten to know well in his visits, greeted them all with a welcoming smile.
“Hey,” Daisy beamed, “She’s been fast asleep all day. I think she was out on the town last night.”
“Sounds like her,” Jeremy chuckled, appreciating the humour. It took the edge off the upsetting sight of the room’s other occupant, deeply sleeping, looking so fragile with an oxygen tube connected to her mouth. Sleeping is what Margaret spent most of her days doing, as if even the nursing home she was forced to call home was too much for her to take, “How is she doing?”
“Much the same. She’s not in pain, but her brain function isn’t what it used to be. She’s very confused on the occasions where she is awake,” Daisy answered clearly and concisely. In a place that looked so miserable, the staff were its saving grace, working harder than their pay packets suggested to provide the utmost care and comfort to every single resident.
“Can she hear us?” Felix questioned, he and Sammi giving Jeremy a respectable distance as they stood side-by-side in front of the door.
“I’d like to think so,” Daisy gently smiled, “I’ll leave you all alone, give me a shout if you need me.” Jeremy nodded as Daisy slipped out of the room, the door creaking shut behind her.
Pulling up the armchair to Margaret’s bedside, Jeremy perched and softly capped his hand over Margaret’s own, poking out of the duvet. For his entire life, she had seemed old to him. After all, she was in her sixties when Jeremy was born, and that’s firmly grandparent territory for most people, btu Margaret relished being the mother figure in Jeremy’s life when he wasn’t allowed near his own. Everything he learned came from her, and Jeremy couldn’t help thinking he’d be even more screwed up without her.
“Hey,” Jeremy spoke to Margaret just as he would if she were awake, “I’ve brought a couple of guests to see you. Felix and Sammi are here. It’s been a little while since you last saw them, I guess it must have been at the wedding.”
Jeremy knew he wanted Margaret to be at the wedding, even just for a short while. She’d always been the biggest champion of his relationship with Felix, and not having her at their special day would’ve felt wrong. The reception was a step too far, but the fact that Margaret was awake for the entire service was enough to fill Jeremy’s heart, and the proud smile on her face as he said his vows was one of the most special moments of his life.
“They’ve been there for me a lot recently. You’d be proud of them,” Jeremy continued, “To tell you the truth, it’s been a tough couple of weeks. I’ve realised that maybe I’m not quite as okay as I thought I was, but don’t worry about me, I’m getting help, and I’ll be fine, I promise. You showed me how to be strong, so I’m being strong for you, Margaret.”
A tear dripped onto Jeremy’s hand. It felt wrong to be keeping Margaret out of the loop, so he wanted her to know the truth, whether she could actually hear him or not. Her head remained just as still as before, her eyelids fastened shut as she rested herself.
From above, two arms enclosed themselves around Jeremy’s chest; Felix’s, of course. “I promise I’ll take care of him,” Felix added, placing a soothing kiss on top of Jeremy’s mop of curls.
“We both will,” Sammi added, joining the hug. Jeremy felt comfortable, but it didn’t make it any easier to know that Margaret wasn’t able to join them. Alzheimer's disease was cruel, and she deserved so much more, but Jeremy was keen to make her proud for as long as he could.
Now, it was time for him to take charge.
There was so much running through Dylan’s brain as he sprinted to the lakehouse. He couldn’t shake the thought of Josh, Yasmin and Freddie at the train station, and how Karen and Theodore would react if they saw them. The worst case scenarios darted back and forth across his head, and he couldn’t help thinking he’d made the wrong decision to leave them there.
However, Jonah needed him. On the phone, he sounded distressed and panicked, and Dylan couldn’t clearly make out what the problem was. He knew it involved Lily, though, and that made it high priority. Her pregnancy had been tumultuous, and she wasn’t even halfway through it, so they all needed to be on red alert where Lily was concerned.
The lakehouse was a state. Lily was a stickler for a tidy, presentable house, so every item had its place. Yet, the front room was ransacked. A vase had been smashed on the laminate flooring, cushions had been recklessly thrown off the sofa, and drawers were hanging open with items spilling over the sides. Despite this, the front door was locked, the back door looked much the same, and there was no sign of a forced entry, so who created such a mess?
“Jonah?” Dylan called out, sliding his key back into his pocket.
“I’m here,” Jonah called from the kitchen. Dylan followed the sound to see a timid Jonah positioned against the kitchen wall, mess surrounding him just like the living room.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Dylan rushed to check, being careful where he stood with smashed plates decorating the floor. Jonah was new to the world of werewolves and the supernatural, and though he’d been something of a duck to water since finding out, he had considerably less experience than the rest of the pack. He was bound to be spooked.
“I’m fine, I just didn’t want to touch anything, I’ve seen enough TV to know that’s not a good idea. I’m worried, Dylan. I saw Lily by the lake. She was on her way here, but she wasn’t herself,” Jonah explained hurriedly, “By the time I got here, she’d gone and it was a mess. I figured this was your department, so I called you.”
“Jono said he was staying with Lily today. He can’t be far away, same for George,” Dylan considered aloud. He hadn’t heard from Jono all day, which itself was unusual, “I’ll try calling him.”
The call didn’t attempt to ring, cutting off immediately, so either Jono’s phone was off – very unlikely, knowing him – or he had no signal. Realistically, there was only one place in Crystalshaw that Jono could be.
“Okay, go home and wait for Freddie,” Dylan instructed Jonah as he tried to think of a plan, “You’ll be safer.”
“I want to help,” Jonah insisted, “Please, I want Lily to be okay.”
Dylan paused. He knew it was a bad idea for Jonah to be anywhere near the Lily situation. He was as good as family, and perhaps that was the problem? Jonah reminded Dylan of himself; no matter how many times he was asked to keep away, his gut convinced him otherwise. Perhaps keeping Jonah close by would actually be safer?
“Okay,” Dylan caved in, “But you have to follow my instructions, and I mean every single instruction.” Jonah eagerly nodded, like a golden retriever desperate to please.
Now, Dylan had to focus on the mission. Find Jono and George, and save Lily. Everything else could wait. Dylan couldn’t afford to lose anybody else.
Although Dylan was the alpha, Josh felt protective over him. They were brothers, after all, and Josh knew that Dylan wore his heart on his sleeve. There weren’t many others like Dylan in the world, and Josh knew it was a worse place because of it.
His blood was boiling listening to Karen and Theodore talk about Harry. Josh never got to know Harry that well – one of many regrets over his time in New York – but he knew what Harry meant to Dylan. At a time when Dylan had lost faith in love, Harry reminded him that he deserved happiness. Whether Dylan would have chosen Jono or Harry in the end didn’t matter, because both showed him the kind of love he deserved. The kind of true love Josh craved.
The protective instinct in Josh was yelling at him to intervene. He, Yasmin and Freddie had kept a safe distance, avoiding being spotted, but part of Josh wanted to confront them. His head knew it was a bad idea, but when it came to his family, nothing mattered more.
“What do we do?” Freddie wondered, asking the question on Josh’s lips. Both looked to Yasmin, knowing a good plan was usually her area.
“This is too public. Anyone could walk in at any moment,” Yasmin worried, “And if they see us, it’s going to make it worse.”
“So we follow them again? Confront them somewhere less public?” Josh was desperate to give both Callahans a piece of his mind.
“Take pictures,” Freddie suggested. Josh raised an eyebrow in his direction. This wasn’t exactly an Instagram moment, so what good would pictures do? Freddie continued, “It’s evidence. We’ve heard them speak. Karen is complicit, and if we can prove they were together, arguing, then we can take it to Ed.”
“What are they saying?” Yasmin questioned. Josh had momentarily forgotten that while he and Freddie could clearly hear every word being spoken in the waiting room, Yasmin didn’t have that same ability. Josh re-focused on their conversation.
“You definitely haven’t mentioned us?” Karen continued.
“Never, I promised. The mission is greater than me,” Theodore quickly justified. That was all Josh needed to hear.
“Karen is letting Theodore be the scapegoat,” Josh summarised.
“Okay, take pictures. She can’t get out of this that easily,” Yasmin decided. Freddie didn’t need to be asked twice, subtly snapping a series of shots of them both through the waiting room window. Deliciously, he could see the panic on Karen’s face in each photo.
“Move,” Yasmin commanded all of a sudden, shoving Josh and Freddie through the nearest door; typically, the ladies’ toilets. Josh was baffled, but then it made sense. Through the tiny gap in the door, he could see Karen strutting past in a huff. They hadn’t been spotted, and now, they had all the evidence they needed to give Harry’s evil mother the comeuppance she deserved.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Callahan,” an oddly familiar voice came from the platform. Josh’s limited view didn’t allow him the chance to see anybody else; he, Yasmin and Freddie were like sardines as they each attempted to catch a view without being caught. Nevertheless, Josh would know that voice anywhere. It’d be worrying if he didn’t recognise a voice he’d lived with for many years.
“Yes, Sheriff,” Karen sighed. As relieved as Josh was to have confirmation that Ed was there, he was confused. How had he already caught up to Karen?
“I am placing you under arrest. You have the right to remain silent,” Ed explained, reading Karen her rights as he always did, “Deputy Wilson, please handcuff our friend over there too.” Just seconds later, Theodore was carted off towards the exit alongside Karen.
Josh shared a bewildered glance with Yasmin and Freddie. He was delighted they had both been arrested, but what had changed? Who had told Ed about Karen if it wasn’t one of them? They had to get to the sheriff station for some answers.
For years, Jono had wondered what use most of the junk in the bunker could possibly have. In the entire time he’d known about it, only a tiny fraction of the collection had ever been helpful. It made Jono wonder just how much was out there that he didn’t know about.
Finally, though, some were able to prove their merit. Between him and George, they had laid a selection of books and papers across the floor in front of the enormous door in order to elevate a smooth sheet of metal to just the right level to be tucked underneath its base, ready to carry its weight. Without the bulk of the door to worry about, Jono was praying it would be easier to unjam.
Jono was purposely channelling every bit of energy he had into getting out of that bunker and saving Lily. He knew that if he stopped for even a second, his worries would take over, and he was no good to Lily if he was stuck in his feelings.
“Ready to pull?” Jono checked. Their makeshift structure was in place, and the moment of truth was upon them.
“Wait,” George hesitated, “One more time, what’s the plan? We’re going to sprint as soon as we get out of here and I don’t want to mess this up. There’s too much riding on it.”
“I start driving, you call Dylan,” Jono reminded, “We’ll try the lakehouse first. If Lily’s still in there, she’ll have wanted to go home.”
“Okay,” George nodded, “Let’s do this, then.”
Jono nodded, both of them assuming their positions gripping the door handle.
“Go,” Jono commanded. Immediately, he channelled all of his strength to his hands, heaving at the handle as much as his body allowed while his feet grounded him. Jono hadn’t truly realised how much of his strength had come from his wolf abilities; bumping back down to human strength was a stark reality check.
The hardest part was moving the door far enough for the contraption to work. If they could get it just a few centimetres across, they’d succeeded, but the door was stubborn. It hadn’t budged at all. If two adults in good physical shape couldn’t shift it, what would it take?
A breakthrough.
The door moved.
A centimetre, but it was a start.
Then again. Jono was shocked. Where had this momentum come from?
Another centimetre. The door landed firmly on the contraption. Jono and George easily heaved it backwards, the weight resting on the wooden board just as they’d planned, and the door felt as light as Jono remembered from his werewolf days.
With the exit wide open, Jono curiously looked up to see what was on the other side. To his delight, there was Dylan. Sweat coated his forehead and his face had morphed into full werewolf form, but even then, Jono couldn’t have been more in love. Whenever Jono needed him, Dylan was there.
“Boy, am I glad to see you,” Jono smiled, embracing Dylan in a tight hug. Over his shoulder, he spotted Jonah, sharing a brief smile before George gripped his younger brother tightly.
“You can thank me later,” Dylan smiled as the hug broke off, “We need to find Lily.”
“We know what’s possessed her,” George informed.
“We do too,” Dylan nodded, signalling to Jonah, floating a ripped out tatty-looking sheet of paper. The Bestiary page Lily had taken, “It was on the ground above.”
“Okay then, let’s go get Lily, and kick this reaper’s ass,” Jono was fired up. He had a dream team by his side, and none of them were going to stop at anything to get Lily back.
There was nothing more rewarding for Sammi than seeing the relief in Jeremy’s demeanour. It had been an exhausting day emotionally for all of them, but Jeremy had felt it most. He’d tackled his problems head on, and he looked so much lighter as a result. Sammi couldn’t have felt prouder to call him her twin.
It was in stark contrast to the state of the car park outside the care home. The edge of town was the forgotten part of Crystalshaw, and the care home epitomised the downtrodden vibe better than anything else; it couldn’t have looked a less exciting prospect for anyone of a certain age. The atmosphere had a grey tint, but Jeremy was a glow in the dark.
“Home?” Felix suggested to Jeremy, who keenly nodded his approval. It was obvious he was tired, but for the first time since his wrongful suspension from work, Jeremy looked hopeful.
“How do you feel?” Sammi queried, eager to hear from Jeremy’s own mouth.
“Shattered,” Jeremy chuckled, “But okay. I know it’s not an instant fix, but today has helped. Thank you both.”
Impulsively, Sammi embraced her brother in a firm hug. It was the least he deserved, as cheesy as it was. Felix followed suit, wrapping his arms comfortingly around them both. If Jeremy didn’t already know, that moment should have removed all elements of doubt about the undying and unconditional support he had.
Straight ahead. The moment broke. Sammi’s pride blurred into concern. Just one glance was all she needed to know that something was up.
“Guys,” Sammi dismissed the hug and pointed to the other side of the road. To the naked eye, it may have appeared entirely unremarkable, but Sammi knew better. They all did.
“Is that…?” Jeremy pondered.
“She looks lost,” Felix added.
“Call Jono. Now,” Sammi commanded. Her brother was out of the woods, but now her cousin was in danger.
Lily was walking towards the tallest bridge in Crystalshaw.
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Next: "The Brink"
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